三國故事(4):桃園結義

Brotherhood Forged in the Peach Garden

Toward the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty（25-220） China was war-stricken. After a royal edict to recruit soldiers in Zhuozhou， three heroes surfaced. One was Liu Bei， a descendent 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 livelihood is selling wine and slaughtering hogs.”

“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 embark on this new career with you.”

While the two talked merrily over cups in a small restaurant， in came a martial looking， handsome man with a huge build and a red complexion. Liu and Zhang invited him to join them. They learned that the man was named Guan Yu. As he had upheld justice by killing a local tyrant， he had fled home and wandered about for many years. During an amiable conversation the three found that they shared a common ambition and the next day in a peach garden they swore brotherhood to heaven and earth before lit candles and joss sticks， Liu Bei the eldest， Guan Yu the second-oldest and Zhang Fei the youngest. They vowed devotion to China. Later， the three sworn brothers had successful career. Liu Bei ascended to the throne of the State of Shu in 221A.D in present-day Sichuan.

桃園結義

東漢（25 -220年）末年，天下大亂。朝廷發佈文告，下令招兵買馬。榜文到涿縣，引出了三位英雄。劉備，是漢朝中山靖王劉勝的後代。一天，他邊看榜文邊長嘆，忽聽背後有人說：“男子漢大丈夫不思爲國出力，在這裏嘆什麼氣？”並自報姓名說：“我叫張飛，靠賣酒殺豬爲生。”劉備說出自己姓名後說：“我想爲國出力，又感到力量不夠，故而長嘆！”張飛說：“這沒什麼可難的，我可以拿出家產，招兵買馬，創建大業。”劉備聽後非常高興。二人來到一個小店，邊喝酒邊談，正說得投機，門外突然來了一個紅臉大漢，威風凜凜，相貌堂堂。劉備、張飛請他一同飲酒。交談中得知，此人名關羽，因仗義除霸有家不能歸，已流落江湖五、六年了。他們各自抒發自己的志向，談得十分投機。

隔日，三人來到一個桃園，點燃香燭，拜告天地，結爲兄弟。按年齡劉備爲大哥，關羽爲二哥，張飛爲三弟。併發誓“同心協力，報效國家。”此後，三人果然作出一番驚天動地的事業。