Information about "Lend an Arrow in a Grass Boat" (草船借箭)

Borrowing Arrows from a Grass Boat

Wikipedia

"Borrowing Arrows from a Grass Boat" is a story based on the Chinese classic "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", which is about Zhuge Liang's jealousy of his talent, and his desire to make 100,000 arrows in ten days to trap him. Zhuge Liang used a brilliant plan to borrow arrows from Cao Cao, thwarting Zhou Yu's plot, showing that Zhuge Liang has the courage and knowledge to be wise.

The Romance of the Three Kingdoms Luo Guanzhong Cao Cao Cao, Liu Bei, Zhuge Liang, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei Hysterical sayings about the Three Kingdoms

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Editorial Notes

草船 借 箭 cǎo chuán jiè jiàn 解說:Use of wisdom and tactics, to use the manpower or resources of others to achieve one's own ends.

Cǎo chuán jiè jiàn

Edited Chinese Idioms

Cao Boat Borrows Arrows Scene

Chinese Idioms Story

During the period of the Three Kingdoms, Cao Cao led a large army to try to conquer Eastern Wu, Sun Quan and Liu Bei. Under Sun Quan, there was a general named Zhou Yu, who was both wise and brave, but narrow-minded and jealous of Zhuge Liang's talent. Zhou Yu wanted Zhuge Liang to build 100,000 arrows in 10 days because of the need for arrows in water battles, but Zhuge Liang only needed three days and was willing to make a military order that he would be punished if he failed to complete the task. Zhou Yu thought, three days can not make 100,000 arrows, just use this opportunity to get rid of Zhuge Liang. So he asked the military craftsmen on the one hand, do not make the arrow materials ready, on the other hand, called the minister Lu Su to find out Zhuge Liang's falsehoods. Lu Su met Zhuge Liang. Zhuge Liang said, "I have to ask you to do me a favor in this matter. I hope you can lend me 20 boats, with 30 soldiers on each boat; the boats should be covered with green cloth mantles, and there should be more than a thousand grass handles, lined up on both sides of the boats. However, this must not be known to the governor of your house, or it will not work." Lu Su believed, and according to Zhuge Liang's requirements to prepare things complete. Two days passed, not a single movement, to the third day at four o'clock, Zhuge Liang secretly asked Lu Su to go to the boat together, saying that they went to fetch arrows together. Zhuge Liang ordered the boat with a rope to the other side of the river. That day the river was so foggy that no one could be seen on the other side. When the boat approached Cao Cao's water fortress, Zhuge Liang ordered the boats to be lined up and told the soldiers to beat their drums and shout. Cao Cao thought that the other side to attack, but also because of the fog for fear of ambush, from the dry fortress sent six thousand archers towards the river arrows, rain arrows have shot on the grass handle. After a while, Zhuge Liang again ordered the ship to turn around, so that the other side of the arrow. The sun came out, the fog was about to lift, Zhuge Liang ordered the ship to hurry back. At this time, the wind and water, Cao Cao wanted to chase also too late. At this time the boat on both sides of the grass handle densely filled with arrows, each boat at least five, six thousand, the total **** more than 100,000 pieces. When Lu Su told Zhou Yu about the borrowing of the arrows, Zhou Yu exclaimed, "Zhuge Liang is so skillful that I am not as good as him."

Origin of the Idiom

This idiom comes from the 46th episode of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, "The use of a strange stratagem, Kong Ming borrowed arrows, and the offering of a secret plan, Huang Gai was tortured". The story is fictionalized by the author, in order to glorify Zhuge Liang and deliberately belittle Zhou Yu, there is no such thing in the history, and Zhou Yu is also very generous, which is completely different from what is depicted in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

Meaning and Usage of the Idiom

The idiom of "borrowing arrows on a straw boat" means to use one's wits to achieve one's own goals by means of other people's manpower or financial resources. It is used as object and determiner; it refers to borrowing other people's strength.

Editing this section of the official history

"Borrowing Arrows in a Grass Boat" is one of the most wonderful stories in "Romance of the Three Kingdoms". Reading this story often makes people marvel at Zhuge Liang's ingenuity. However, this story is fictional, Zhuge Liang's life did not do this thing. So, this story is not Luo Guanzhong made up out of thin air? That's not true, because he did have the book. In the history, the battle of Moisu between Sun Quan and Cao Cao took place.

The original text of Pei Songzhi's commentary in the Three Kingdoms Chronicle

The original text of the Three Kingdoms Chronicle - Wu Shu - Wu Zhuan (《三国志-吴书-吴主传》): In the first month of the 18th year, Cao Duke attacked Moisu, and Quan and his army refused to fight each other for more than a month. Cao Gong looked at Quan's army, sighed at its Qi Su, and retreated. Pei Songzhi's note: Wu Shu said: Cao Gong went out of Moisu, made an oil boat, and crossed the continent at night. The right to take the water army siege, got more than three thousand people, its not drowned also thousands of people. Quan several challenges, the male firm defense does not come out. Quan came on his own and entered his army through the mouth of Ba Su in a light boat. All the generals thought he was a challenger and wanted to attack him. Gong said, "This must be Sun Quan, who wants to meet my troops." He ordered the army to be strict and not to fire their bows and crossbows. Quan traveled five or six miles, back to the drums. The public saw the boat weaponry army and troops solemn, sighed with sadness and said: "When the son is born as Sun Zhongmou, Liu Jing Sheng son if the guinea pig ear!" Quan for the paper with Cao Gong, said: "spring water is born, Gong should go quickly." The other paper said: "If you don't die, I can't rest in peace." Cao Gong said to his generals, "Sun Quan does not deceive me." He returned to the army. Wei strategy said: the right to take a large boat to watch the army, the public make bow and crossbow chaotic hair, arrows on its boat, the boat will be overweight, the right to go back to the boat, and then one side of the arrows, arrows are boat flat, and then return.

Modern Interpretation

According to Pei Songzhi's note in "Three Kingdoms Zhi-Wu Shu- Wu Zhuanzhuan II", in the first month of Jian'an 18th year (A.D. 213), Cao Cao and Sun Quan fought against Yushu (a section of the waterway where Chaohu Lake enters the Yangtze River in Chauxian County, Anhui Province, nowadays). In the first battle, Cao Cao's army was defeated, so they held out. One day, Sun Quan entered the front line of Cao Cao's army through the mouth of Ba Su in a light boat to observe the deployment of Cao Cao's army. When Sun Quan's boat traveled five or six miles, Cao Cao saw that Sun's army was in perfect order, and sighed with regret, "I should have a son like Sun Zhongmou, but Liu Jingsheng's son is like a guinea pig!" Cao Cao then ordered his bows and crossbows to fire at the Wu ships. Not long after, Sun Quan's boat was tilted because of too many arrows on one side, and was in danger of capsizing. Sun Quan ordered the boat to turn around so that the other side would be hit by arrows again. After a while, the arrows were even and the boat was leveled, and Sun's army returned safely with drums and music. From this we can see that the "straw boat lending arrows" is not Zhuge Liang, but Sun Quan, and this incident occurred five years after the Battle of Red Cliff.

Editing this section of the novel

The Romance of the Three Kingdoms

The next day, (Zhou Yu) gathered all the generals under the tent, and asked Kong Ming to discuss the matter. He asked Kong Ming to come to the tent and discuss the matter. Sit down, Yu asked Kong Ming said: "the next day will be fighting with Cao's army, the waterway fighting, when what weapons first?" Kong Ming said: "Above the river, to bow and arrow first." Yu said: "Mr. words, very much in line with my intention. But now the army is short of arrows, I dare to trouble you to supervise the manufacture of 100,000 arrows, as a tool to deal with the enemy. This is an official matter, Mr. Please do not refuse." Kong Ming said: "Governor see the commission, I will serve. Dare to ask 100,000 arrows, when to use?" Yu said: "Within ten days, can be completed?" Kong Ming said: "Fuck army will arrive soon, if you wait for ten days, will miss the big event." Yu said: "Mr. expected a few days can be completed?" Kong Ming said: "Only three days, you can worship 100,000 arrows." Yu said: "There is no drama in the army." Kong Ming said: "How dare I tease the Governor! I am willing to accept the military order: if I don't do it in three days, I am willing to be heavily punished." Yu rejoiced, called the Secretary for Military Affairs to take the paper in person, set the wine and said: "To be military after the completion of the pay, there are rewards." Kong Ming said: "Today is not as good as, the next day to build up. To the third day, can send five hundred small army to the river to move the arrow." Drink a few cups, resigned. Lu Su said: "This person is not fraud?" Yu said: "He sent himself to death, not I forced him. Today, I understand that the public to the documents, he will be two wings, but also can not fly. I only pay the military craftsmen and so on, teach him to deliberately delay, where the application of objects, are not with all ready. If he does, he will surely miss the date. If he is convicted at that time, what can he say? Gong can go to find out the truth about him now, and then come to report back." Su received orders to see Kong Ming. Kong Ming said: "I have told Zi Jing, do not say to Gong Jin, he will harm me. I do not want to Zi Jing refused to hide for me, today really make things happen again. How to build 100,000 arrows in three days? Zi Jing must save me!" Su said: "Gong take his own trouble, how can I save you?" Kong Ming said: "I hope that Zi Jing lent me twenty boats, each boat to 30 soldiers, the boat are using green cloth for the mantle, each bunch of grass more than a thousand, distributed on both sides. I do not have a good use. On the third day of the package there are 100,000 arrows. Only can not teach Gongjin know, if they know, I plan to fail." Su promise, but do not understand its meaning, return Zhou Yu, really do not mention the matter of borrowing the boat, only said: "Kong Ming and do not use arrows, bamboo, plumes, glue and paint and other things, have their own reasons." Yu said: "Let's see how he replies to me in three days!" Lu Su privately allocated light and fast boat 20, each boat more than 30 people, and cloth mantle bunch of grass and other things, all ready, waiting for Kong Ming call. On the first day, I did not see Kong Ming move; on the second day, he did not move. To the third day at four o'clock, Kong Ming secretly invited Lu Su to the boat. Su asked: "Gong called me to what?" Kong Ming said: "I would like to ask Zi Jing to go with me to get arrows." Lu Su said, "Where do I go to get the arrows?" Kong Ming said, "Don't ask Zi Jing, I will see you when I go there." So he ordered twenty boats to be connected by long ropes, and looked to the north bank. It was a foggy night, the Yangtze River, the fog is even worse, the opposite does not see. Kong Ming urged the boat forward, really is a good fog! (The original here has "fog hanging river Fu", omitted) When the night five o'clock, the boat has been close to Cao Cao's water fortress. Kong Ming taught to put the boat head west and tail east, a band set up, on the boat drums and shouting. Lu Su said: "If Cao Cao's soldiers come out, what can we do?" Kong Ming laughed and said: "I expect Cao Cao in the fog will not dare to come out. We just focus on drinking and having fun, and when the fog clears, we will return. Cao Cao's fortress, heard the drums and cries, Mao Jie, Yu Ban two people panicked and flew to report to Cao Cao. Cao Cao sent an order saying: "The fog is misting up the river, and the sudden arrival of their troops will surely lead to an ambush, so don't move lightly. Can allocate the water army crossbowmen to shoot arrows." And sent to the dry fortress to call Zhang Liao, Xu shang each with a crossbow army of three thousand, fire quickly to the river to help shoot. Than the order came, Mao Jie, Yu Ban afraid of the southern army snatched into the water fortress, has sent crossbowmen in front of the fortress to release arrows; a few moments, the dry fortress crossbowmen also arrived, about 10,000 people, all of them to the river to release arrows: arrows such as rain. Kong Ming taught the boat back, head east, tail west, close to the water fortress to receive arrows, one side of the drums and shouting. When the sun was high and the fog cleared, Kong Ming ordered the boats to return. Twenty boats were lined up with arrows on both sides of the grass. Kong Ming made each boat soldiers shouted: "Thank you Prime Minister arrow!" By the time Cao Cao's army reported to Cao Cao from inside the fortress, the boats were light and the water was fast, and they had already returned more than 20 miles, so it was too late to catch up. Cao Cao was remorseful. But said Kong Ming back to the boat said Lu Su said: "each boat arrows about five or six thousand carry. Do not cost Jiangdong half of the effort, has got more than 100,000 arrows. Tomorrow will come to shoot Cao army, but not very convenient!" Su said: "Mr. really a man of God! How do you know that today is so foggy?" Kong Ming said: "for the general and do not understand astronomy, do not know the geography, do not know qimen, do not know yin and yang, do not look at the formation, unknown military situation, is mediocre. Liang in three days ago has been calculated that today there is a fog, so dare to appoint the three-day limit. Gongjin taught me ten days to finish, craftsmen materials, are not at hand, will be this one of the sins of the wind, understand to kill me. My life is tied to heaven, Gongjin can not harm me!" Lu Su obeys. When the boat to the shore, Zhou Yu has sent 500 troops waiting at the river to move arrows. Kong Ming taught the boat to take it, can get more than 100,000 branches, are carried into the army tent to pay. Lu Su met with Zhou Yu and told him about Kong Ming's arrows. Yu was shocked, sighed with emotion and said: "Kong Ming is a brilliant plan, I'm not as good as also!" A later poem said: "A day of thick fog full of Yangtze River, far and near difficult to distinguish between the water is small. Sudden rain and locusts to warships, Kong Ming today ambush Zhou Lang." A short while later, Kong Ming entered the fortress to see Zhou Yu. Yu down the tent to welcome, said enviously: "Mr. God calculation, make people respect." Kong Ming said: "Sneaky little plan, what is surprising."

Modern rewriting

Zhou Yu asked Zhuge Liang to make 100,000 arrows within 10 days, but Zhuge Liang surprised him by saying, "Cao Cao's army will be arriving soon, and if we wait for 10 days, we will miss the big event." He said, "It will only take 3 days to complete the task and return to you." Zhou Yu was overjoyed to hear this and immediately made a military order with Zhuge Liang. In Zhou Yu's opinion, Zhuge Liang could not have made 100,000 arrows in 3 days in any case, therefore, Zhuge Liang must die. Indication: Zhou Yu did not believe that Zhuge Liang would make 100,000 arrows in three days. After Zhuge Liang said goodbye, Zhou Yu let Lu Su to Zhuge Liang's place to check the movement, to find out the truth. As soon as Zhuge Liang met Lu Su, he said: "How can I make 100,000 arrows in 3 days? I hope Zijing (Lu Su's character) will save me!" The loyal and kind Lu Su replied, "How can I save you when you have brought this upon yourself?" Zhuge Liang said: "I just hope you lend me 20 boats, each boat configuration 30 soldiers, the boat all with green cloth for the mantle, each bunch of grass handle more than a thousand, respectively, erected on both sides of the boat. I have my own way of using all this, and on the third day I will have 100,000 arrows. But there is one thing you must not let Zhou Yu know. If he knows it, he will certainly interfere with it, and my plan will be difficult to realize." Although Lu Su agreed to Zhuge Liang's request, he did not understand what Zhuge Liang meant. When he met Zhou Yu, he did not talk about borrowing a boat, but only said that Zhuge Liang did not prepare bamboo, plumes, glue and lacquer for making arrows. Zhou Yu was puzzled by this. After Zhuge Liang borrowed the boat and soldiers from Lu Su, he prepared according to the plan. The first day, did not see Zhuge Liang what movement! The next day, still do not see Zhuge Liang what movement! Until the third night at four o'clock, he secretly invited Lu Su to the boat, and told Lu Su to go get arrows. Lu Su was puzzled and asked, "Where to get them?" Zhuge Liang replied, "Zi Jing doesn't need to ask, just go ahead and find out." Lu Su was baffled, but had to accompany Zhuge Liang to see what was going on. In the early hours of the morning, fog was falling on the vast river and it was pitch black. Zhuge Liang then ordered to use a long rope to connect the 20 boats together, anchored to the north bank of the Cao army camp. By five o'clock, the fleet was close to Cao Cao's fortress. At this time, Zhuge Liang taught his soldiers to arrange the boats in a single line, and placed them in front of Cao Cao's fortress. Then he ordered his soldiers to beat the drums and shout, deliberately creating a drumming sound. When Lu Su saw this, he was horrified, but Zhuge Liang told him frankly: "I am sure that in this foggy night, Cao Cao will not dare to go to war. You and I can feel free to drink and have fun, and when the fog clears, we will return." When Cao Cao heard the news, he was really worried about being ambushed by the fog and refused to go out to battle. He urgently transferred dry fortress bowmen 6,000 people rushed to the river, together with the navy shooters, *** about 10,000 people, all together to the river shooting, in an attempt to stop the drums to call the "Sun Liu allied forces". For a time, arrows like locusts, have shot in the center of the river on board the grass handle and cloth above. After a period of time, Zhuge Liang and calmly ordered the flotilla to change direction, head east and tail west, close to the water fortress to receive arrows, and let the soldiers to strengthen the drums and shouts. By the time the sunrise fog dispersed, all the ship's grass handle densely lined with arrows. Only then did Zhuge Liang order the fleet to turn around and return. He also ordered all the soldiers to shout in unison, "Thank you Prime Minister Cao for the arrows!" When Cao Cao learned the truth, Zhuge Liang's fleet of arrows was already more than 20 miles away, and Cao Cao's army was unable to catch up with them, for which Cao Cao was remorseful. After the flotilla returned to camp, *** got more than 100,000 arrows, for only 3 days. Lu Su witnessed the incident, extremely called Zhuge Liang as "man of God". Zhuge Liang said to Lu Su: he not only astronomy, knowledge of geography, but also know qimen, know yin and yang. More good at marching and fighting in the formation and military situation, in 3 days before the fog can be expected to be utilized. He finally said, "My life depends on heaven, how can Zhou Gongjin harm me!" Zhou Yu sighed to himself when he learned of all this.

Editing this section of the textbook

Main content: Zhuge Liang fights with Zhou Yu and uses a brilliant plan to borrow 100,000 arrows from Cao Cao, thwarting Zhou Yu's secret plan. Zhou Yu saw Zhuge Liang is quite talented, heart is very jealous. One day, Zhou Yu asked Zhuge Liang to discuss military matters and said, "We are about to fight with Cao Cao's army. What is the best weapon to use to fight on the water?" Zhuge Liang said, "It's best to use bows and arrows." Zhou Yu said, "Right, sir thinks the same as I do. Now that the army is short of arrows, I would like to ask you to be responsible for rushing to make 100,000 of them. This is an official matter, I hope that sir will not push back." Zhuge Liang said, "The Governor entrusted it, of course I will do it. I wonder when these 100,000 arrows will be used?" Zhou Yu asked, "Can it be built in ten days?" Zhuge Liang said, "Since we are about to engage in a battle, if we build them in ten days, we are bound to miss the big event." Zhou Yu asked, "How many days do you expect to build it?" Zhuge Liang said, "Only three days." Zhou Yu said, "The military situation is urgent, can not joke." Zhuge Liang said, "How dare I joke with the Governor. I am willing to make a military order, three days to build bad, willing to be punished." Zhou Yu was very happy, called Zhuge Liang face to face military orders, and set up a banquet to entertain him. Zhuge Liang said, "It is too late today. From tomorrow, until the third day, please send five hundred soldiers to the river to carry the arrows." Zhuge Liang drank a few cups of wine and left. Zhuge Liang

Lu Su said to Zhou Yu, "How can we build 100,000 arrows in three days? Zhuge Liang is telling a lie, right?" Zhou Yu said, "He said it himself, I didn't force him. I have to instruct the military craftsmen to deliberately delay the materials used to make the arrows, not to give him all the preparations. If they can't make it, they will condemn him, and he will have nothing to say. You go and poke around, see what he plans to do, come back and report to me." Lu Su met Zhuge Liang. Zhuge Liang said, "I need to build 100,000 arrows in three days, so I must ask you to do me a favor." Lu Su said, "It's all your own fault, how can I help you?" Zhuge Liang said, "You lend me twenty boats, each with thirty soldiers. The boats are to be covered with a green cloth mantle, and more than a thousand grass targets are to be lined up on either side of the boat. I have my own wonderful use for them. On the third day there will be 100,000 arrows. But I can't let the Governor know. If he knows, my plan will be over." Lu Su agreed. He did not know what Zhuge Liang had borrowed the boat for, and when he came back to report to Zhou Yu, he really did not mention the borrowing of the boat, but only said that Zhuge Liang did not use the materials of bamboo, plume, and glue and lacquer. Zhou Yu was puzzled and said, "On the third day, let's see what he does!" Lu Su privately allocated twenty fast boats, each boat with thirty sergeants, according to Zhuge Liang said, arranged green cloth mantle and grass target, waiting for Zhuge Liang scheduling. The first day, do not see Zhuge Liang have any movement; the second day, still do not see Zhuge Liang have any movement; until the third day, when the fourth watch, Zhuge Liang secretly Lu Su invited to the boat. Lu Su asked him: "What did you call me to do?" Zhuge Liang said, "To ask you to go with me to fetch arrows." Lu Su asked, "Where to fetch them?" Zhuge Liang said, "No need to ask, just go and find out." Zhuge Liang ordered twenty boats to be connected by ropes and sailed toward the north bank. By this time the fog was so thick that it was impossible to see even face to face on the river. Before dawn, the boats were already close to Cao's water fortress. Zhuge Liang ordered the bow of the boat to face west and the stern of the boat to face east, set out in a single line, and told the soldiers on the boat to beat the drums while shouting loudly. Lu Su was surprised and said, "What if Cao's soldiers come out?" Zhuge Liang smiled and said, "The fog is so heavy that Cao Cao must not dare to send out his troops. Let's just drink and have fun and go back at dawn." When Cao Cao heard the drums and shouts, he ordered, "It's very foggy on the river, and the enemy is suddenly coming to attack, so we can't see what's going on, so don't go out easily. Only tell the bowmen to shoot arrows at them and keep them from coming near." He sent to the dry fortress to transfer six thousand bowmen to the river to support the navy. More than ten thousand bowmen fired arrows at the river in unison, and the arrows seemed to be raining. Zhuge Liang ordered the ships to turn around, with the bow facing east and the stern facing west, still beating drums and shouting, and approaching Cao's water fortress to receive arrows. The sky was getting light, but the fog was not yet dispersed. At this time, the boat on both sides of the grass handle are full of arrows. Zhuge Liang instructed the soldiers to shout "Thank you, Prime Minister Cao, for your arrows!" Then he told the twenty boats to sail back to the south bank. Cao Cao knew he had been tricked, but the boats had sailed more than twenty miles in a smooth wind, and it was too late to chase them. When the twenty ships docked, the five hundred sergeants sent by Zhou Yu came to the river just in time to carry the arrows. Each boat had about 5,000 or 6,000 arrows, and the total number of arrows in the twenty boats was more than 100,000, Lu Su met Zhou Yu and told him how he borrowed the arrows. Zhou Yu let out a long sigh and said, "Zhuge Liang is so skillful, I really can't compare with him!"

Edited Abbreviated Story

Zhou Yu was very jealous of Zhuge Liang's talent. One day Zhou Yu proposed to Zhuge Liang to rush to make 100,000 arrows during a military discussion. Zhuge Liang promised to build them in three days and made a military order. Afterwards, Zhuge Liang asked Lu Su to help him borrow boats, soldiers and grass handles. On the third day, Zhuge Liang asked Lu Su to go with him to fetch the arrows. On this day, the fog was so thick that it was hard to see anyone on the other side. Before dawn, Zhuge Liang ordered the boat to sail and had his soldiers beat drums and shout. Cao Cao summoned archers to come and shoot arrows at the ship. Both sides of the ship were filled with arrows. When the fog lifted, Zhuge Liang ordered the ship to go back, and it was too late for Cao Cao to give chase. Thus, 100,000 arrows were "borrowed". Zhou Yu sighed to himself when he learned about the borrowed arrows.

Edit this section of the hiatus

Zhuge Liang borrowed arrows on a straw boat - a full load of arrows Zhuge Liang borrowed arrows on a straw boat - a doubtful strategy Zhuge Liang borrowed arrows on a straw boat - a brilliant idea Zhuge Liang borrowed arrows on a straw boat - a clever plan A brilliant plan Lu Su got on Kong Ming's boat - confused; Lu Su got on Kong Ming's boat - wrong. Lend an Arrow in a Straw Boat - Mistaken (Fog) Lend an Arrow in a Straw Boat - Cao Cao's Doubtfulness Lend an Arrow in a Straw Boat - Resourcefulness of Kongming

Edit Artwork

Cai Guoqiang's Large-Scale Installation Cao Boat Borrows Arrows

Cao Boat Borrows Arrows is a metaphor for the tensions between international politics and culture. The five-star red flag on the ship's rudder stands out in the Guggenheim Museum's gallery, and art critic Fei Dawei argues that the flag can indicate the author's point of view: that criticism and attacks on China will be in China's favor. But when the exhibition was held at the National Art Museum of China in 2007, the flag was missing from the rudder. Cai's exhibition was visually stunning, even entertaining, with many people sitting for long periods of time, watching in fascination the video of one of the explosions he created, watching him fiddle with gunpowder, how to extend the Great Wall of China by 10,000 meters, how to make black rainbows in the sky, and how to simulate one of the car bombings that occurred in Times Square. But in a museum space, video and gunpowder paintings are not as exciting as installations such as Cao Boat Borrows Arrows, which is visually unforgettable, even regardless of the Chinese ingenuity of the work, which was created in 1998. The straw boat hangs in the lobby of the National Art Museum of China, its hull filled with sharp arrows, like a giant wing. The Straw Boat Borrowing Arrows was moved from the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and it cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to move it, and its size made it necessary to remove the doors of the National Art Museum of China in order to allow it to "sail in". Cai Guo-Qiang insisted on bringing the boat to Beijing, and besides seeing it as a representative symbol of his art, Cai even felt that the boat was like his own shadow: sailing from one port to another, drifting for years and then returning to China. Cai never hid his love for the work: "The ship is both violently wounded and fruitful at the same time, load-bearing and yet very light in appearance." Unfortunately, the boat's display at the National Art Museum of China is not ideal -- the hanging boat can be viewed in two ways, from below the boat looks like it's flying, and from above the boat looks like it's floating in the water -- but the gallery at the National Art Museum of China dictates that the boat can be viewed from above.

Edited links

The Romance of the Three Kingdoms

The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the full name of The Popular Romance of the Three Kingdoms, is one of the four great masterpieces of China, and is a classic of historical novels, written by Luo Guanzhong. The novel depicts the conflicts and struggles among the three political and military groups of Wei, Shu, and Wu, led by Cao Cao, Liu Bei, and Sun Quan, in the late Eastern Han Dynasty and throughout the Three Kingdoms era. On a broad social and historical background, it shows the sharp, complex and very characteristic political and military conflicts of that era, and in terms of political and military strategies, it has had a profound impact on later generations. The whole book *** one hundred and twenty times. In his grasp of the history of the Three Kingdoms, the author shows a clear tendency to support Liu and oppose Cao Cao, taking the Liu Bei group as the center of his depiction, praising the main characters of the Liu Bei group, and exposing Cao Cao with all his might. Today we should have a dialectical understanding of the author's tendency to support Liu and oppose Cao. Respecting Liu and opposing Cao Cao is the main tendency of folklore, and in Luo Guanzhong's time it implied the people's hope for the revival of the Han race. The reason for the development of the Chinese novel from a short story to a long one is related to story-telling. In the Song Dynasty, storytelling was popular, and it became a profession. Storytellers liked to take the stories of ancient characters as the theme for their performances, and Chen Shou's (quoted in Pei Songzhi's note) "The Three Kingdoms", with its many protagonists as clues, numerous characters, and varied events, was the best material for writing stories. Certain bits and pieces of the Three Kingdoms stories were originally circulated in the folklore, plus the storytellers have been taking materials for a long time, the content is getting richer and richer, and the characters are getting fuller and fuller. This is a marvelous collective creation, different from the novels written by a single author in form. During the Song and Yuan Dynasties, the stories of the Three Kingdoms were put on the stage, and more than 30 kinds of plays were performed. In the Yuan Dynasty, there appeared the Quan Xiang San Guo Zhi Ping Lu (全相三國志平话), which was published by the Xin'an Yu Clan. At the end of the Yuan and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, Luo Guanzhong synthesized folklore, opera and drama, combined with Chen Shou's "Three Kingdoms" and Pei Songzhi's notes, and based on his personal insights into society and life, he created the "Popular Romance of the Three Kingdoms", which became China's first full-length novel in chapters and verses. The earliest surviving copy of the book was published and engraved in the year of Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty, commonly known as "Jiajing Ben", and the book has 24 volumes. During the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, Mao Lun Mao Zonggang and his father and son corrected the historical facts, added and deleted words, and revised it into the 120-volume Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which is widely used today. Romance of the Three Kingdoms is the first historical novel and represents the highest achievement of historical novels. Since then, literati have followed suit. In the history of Chinese literature, historical novels have become a major trend. Until now, thousands of years of Chinese history have been written into various historical novels, all of which are the inheritance and development of Luo Guanzhong's historical dramas. Romance of the Three Kingdoms is one of the best classical novels in China, and its artistic achievements are mainly manifested in the following aspects: Firstly, the principle of historical material treatment of "seven parts real, three parts fictional" makes the novel have a strong artistic charm. Romance of the Three Kingdoms is largely written in accordance with the historical reality, but a large number of details and some plots are fictionalized, making the novel a combination of reality and fiction. Real, so that readers have a sense of reality, false, so that the novel is more vivid, characterization more full. Secondly, in terms of characterization, "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" adopts a typological writing method, specializing in highlighting a certain characteristic of the characters, and through exaggeration, contrast, and underlining and other techniques, this characteristic is developed to the extreme, shaping a large group of distinctive, vivid and vital character images. The most successful ones are Zhuge Liang, Cao Cao, Guan Yu, Liu Bei, Zhao Yun, etc. Cao Cao's treachery, Zhuge Liang's wisdom, Liu Bei's benevolence, Guan Yu's loyalty, and Zhang Fei's bravery are distinctive and vivid. There are 400 famous characters in the novel, and no less than dozens of impressive ones. Undoubtedly, this is the most outstanding achievement of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Of course, these characters in the novel are still very different from those in history. Thirdly, in terms of narrative structure, centering on Shu Han, and taking the contradictory struggles of the three kingdoms as the main line, the novel is carefully structured with countless stories, which are complicated but not trivial, and although the twists and turns are varied, the veins are clear, constituting a perfect artistic whole. Fourthly, it has the language characteristic of "not very deep in the text, not very vulgar in the words". The language of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" and "Water Margin" and other novels is different, it is the literary language, but mixed with the vernacular; is the vernacular, but there are a lot of literary components. It can be described as elegant but not astringent, vulgar but not slang. This unique style of language makes it able to utilize the strengths of the vernacular while avoiding the shortcomings of the purely literary language. The Romance of the Three Kingdoms not only had a profound impact on ancient Chinese fiction and culture, but was also widely circulated in other Asian countries.

Luo Guanzhong

Luo Guanzhong, Ming (ca. 1330-ca. 1400), Han Chinese, name Ben, word Guanzhong, No. Lake and Sea Scattered, originating from Taiyuan Province, Shanxi, one says Qixian County, Shanxi Province; one says Qingxu County, Shanxi Province; one says Qiantang (present-day Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province) or Luling (present-day Ji'an, Jiangxi Province) people. Luo Guanzhong was a famous novelist and playwright at the end of Yuan and the beginning of Ming Dynasty, and was the originator of Chinese chapter book novels. Luo Guanzhong's life writings are quite abundant, the main works are: the play "Zhao Taizu Longhu Fengyunhui", "loyal and upright filial son of serial admonition", "three Pingzhang dead cry gossamer tiger"; novels "Sui and Tang dynasties Zhi Zhuan", "remnants of the Tang and five generations of the history of the", "three attempts to level the demon biography", "pink make-up building", is said to be co-authored with Shi Nai-an, "Water Margin," the representative of the "three Kingdoms", and so on.

Cao Cao

Stills: Cao Cao

that is, Emperor Wu of Wei. Cao Cao was a statesman, militarist and poet during the Three Kingdoms period. Cao Cao was a native of Qiao, Peiguo (present-day Bozhou City, Anhui Province), and at the age of 20, he was promoted to the rank of "filial piety" (孝廉), and served as a lieutenant in the northern part of the city of Luoyang, and as an ordained official of the city of Dunqiu. During the Yellow Turbans Uprising, he rose to the rank of Cavalry Captain. He built up his private army in the fight against Dong Zhuo, and was strengthened by the suppression of the Yellow Turban Uprising. In the first year of Jian'an (196), he welcomed Emperor Xian to Xudu (east of Xuchang, Henan Province), and "held the emperor hostage to his vassals". He practiced the use of cantonment and saved up military funds. He conquered Lu Bu and Yuan Shao and unified the north. In the thirteenth year of Jian'an (208), he was promoted to the position of prime minister and led his division southward, which was defeated by the allied forces of Sun Quan and Liu Bei at Red Cliff. He employed people based on merit, suppressed the powerful and strengthened the centralized power. In the fifth year of Jian'an, he was crowned King of Wei. In the north of China, he built fields, repaired water conservancy, and reformed the tax system, which led to the development of production. He recruited talents, suppressed annexation and strengthened centralized power, and established a dynastic situation with Shu and Wu. Later, his son, Cao Pi, became the emperor and was posthumously honored as Emperor Wu.

Liu Bei

The founder of Shu Han in the Three Kingdoms period. Liu Bei was a native of Zhuo County, Zhuo County (now Hebei Province). He was a descendant of Liu Sheng, King of Zhongshan Jing of the Western Han Dynasty. He used to sell shoes and weave mats for a living. He made friends with Zhang Fei and Guan Yu. At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, he participated in the suppression of the Yellow Turbans Uprising and became an officer of Anxi. He joined Gongsun Zan, Tao Qian, Cao Cao, Yuan Shao and Liu Biao. In 208, he adopted the strategy of Zhuge Liang, and defeated Cao Cao in Red Cliff with Sun Quan***, and occupied Jingzhou. He then seized Yizhou and Hanzhong. After entering Yizhou, he married Wu Yi, a powerful member of the landlord group in the eastern part of the state, and suppressed the powerful, so that the Shu Han regime was gradually consolidated. In 221 A.D., he became the emperor of Shu Han, with the capital at Chengdu, the state name Han, and the year name Zhangwu. In the following year, he led a large army eastward along the river to attack Wu, and was defeated in the Battle of Wu-Shu Yiling, and died of illness after leading the remnants of his army to retreat to Baidi City.

George Liang

Stills:

George Liang

Word Kong Ming, Luangya Yangdu (present-day Yinan County, Shandong Province) people. He was a politician and military man of the Three Kingdoms of Shu Han. At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, he lived in Longzhong, Deng County (now Xiangyang Lake West), and was known as "Wolong". In the twelfth year of Jian'an, Liu Bei paid three visits to his cottage, and he proposed to Liu Bei to occupy Jing (present-day Hunan and Hubei) and Yi (present-day Sichuan) states, to seek the support of the rulers of the southwestern tribes, to unite with Sun Quan, to fight against Cao Cao, and to unify the whole country, which was called the "Longzhong Pairing". From then on, he became Liu Bei's main strategist.

Guan Yu

Liu Bei's younger brother and the first of the Five Tiger Generals. His character Yun Chang (雲长), originally Chang Sheng (长生), was a native of Xie County in Hedong (now southwest of Linyi, Shanxi Province). He fled to Zhuo County because of the war. Afterwards, he followed Liu Bei together with Zhang Fei. He was famous for beheading Hua Xiong in front of Bishui Pass and fighting Lu Bu in front of Hujing Pass. Captured before the Battle of Guandu, he was worshipped by Cao Cao as a partisan soldier, and was named Marquis of Hanshou Ting. He killed Yuan Shao's famous generals Yan Liang and Wen Chou for Cao. Afterward, he traveled thousands of miles on a single horse, rode a red rabbit horse, carried a green dragon crescent sword, crossed five hurdles and defeated six generals, and finally returned to Liu Bei. Later, he attacked Cao Ren in Fancheng, flooded seven armies, surrendered Cao Cao's general Yu Ban, killed Pang De, and let Hua Tuo heal his bones, which made his reputation far and wide. However, he was killed by Sun Quan at the age of 58 due to his pride and self-opinionated behavior, which led to his defeat in Mecheng. He was a man of love and justice, a man of wisdom and valor, and a man of unparalleled martial arts.

Zhang Fei

Liu Bei's younger brother, the second of the Five Tiger Generals. His name is Yide (written as Yide in Romance of the Three Kingdoms), a native of Zhuo County (now Zhuo County, Hebei Province). He was a native of Zhuo County (present-day Zhuo County, Hebei Province). When he was young, he and Guan Yu ****ed Liu Bei. He fought with Guan Yu and Liu Bei against Lu Bu at Hujingguan Pass. A roar on the bridgehead at Chang Ban Po scared off Cao Cao's million troops. In the night battle with Ma Chao at Jiameng Pass, a spear of eight serpents was the most courageous of the three armies. After Liu Bei entered the Sichuan River, he was appointed General of Ben Riding and Marquis of Xixiang. In 221 AD, in order to avenge the death of his second brother, Guan Yu, Liu Bei and Liu Bei started an attack on Eastern Wu. Before his departure, he was assassinated by his generals, Fan Jiang and Zhang Da, and was only 55 years old at the time of his death.