Did You Know It?
Two Versions of the Three Kingdoms
The Romance of the Three Kingdoms is a world-wide famous story, based on an actual historical fact in China, of course. But do you know there are two versions on it? One volume has been written following an authentic history, but the other one is a dramatization for public by Lo Kuan-Chung. Sometimes a discrepancy is seen between the two. Liu Pei, for example, is deeply virtuous, earnestly pursueing his ambition, in Yen-i, but the authentic version described that he survives in the turbulent times without any regard for appearances, sacrificing his generals and enemies. Lo Kuan Chung, moreover, deliberately misguided the story against the true history in some scenes.
About the Title
In Chinese the story has been named Sun Kuo Chih for the authentic-history version, and Sun Kuo Chih Yen-i for the dramatization. Both are nowadays mixed up and known just as Sun Kuo Chih, which means a history book of the three kingdoms. The English title The Romance of the Three Kingdoms C. H. Brewett-Taylor, a British, gave in 1925 when his translation of the dramatization version got published. The paperback is avairable through the Charles E. Tuttle C., Inc. The price is $39.95.
A Name Received upon Reaching Adulthood
It was said that addressing someone by a real name was rude in China old days. Well, then, what did they use instead? The answer is the other name received upon reaching adulthood. Here, an interesting episode about the name. Liu Pei's elderest son Liu Shan is notorius as a stupid monarch. His father and subjects might indulged to spoil him. Wei's forces surged to conquer his land in 263, and Liu Shan was not going to resist and surrendered in a flurry. Several days later Wei held a banquet for Shu. He was terribly pleased while generals crimsoned with humiliation hardly endured. His childfood name was A Tou, which means a stupid second president in China nowadays. About Chu-ko Liang K'ung-ming's name, see the Other Name of K'ung-ming described below.
An Improvised poem of Ts'ao Chih
Ts'ao Ts'ao, a great monarch of Wei, died in 220. He willed that he would trust his kingdom to his elderest son P'i, but his inheritance brought some atrocities on his own brothers. The first thing he did since he ascended the throne is to execute two brother of his, who were against his inheritance. And then he turned his hostility to Chih, his youngest brother. Ts'ao doted upon Chih owing to his talent for literature, so that Ts'ao was once prepared to make him a heir. P'i summoned his brother, the only one left at that time, pronouncing definitely that they were brothers yet a monarch and subject. "So I have a right to give you orders. Father loved your talent for literature, but I must examine the truth or falsehood. I order you to improvise a poem within seven steps you take."
Chih's look kept calm. He had guessed what would happen on the meeting. "I'd like to have the title for the poem," is all he said.
"Brothers," P'i indicated, noting that Chih could not use the word brothers.
Chih took each step of his leisurely, and turned to the new monarch to speak;
"Beans boil with flames on soybean
A bean wails in the pot
We sprouted from a seed, growing together
But why we were tored, one for being boiled to sacrifice the other to burn"
Tears rolled down cheeks of Chih when he finished his imprumptu. P'i's response is told variously, but he didn't soften his attitude. Chih was exiled to a country and spent the rest of his short life there.
A Taiwan Song Extols Chao Yun Tsu-lung
Aristeides, a big Romance fan in Taiwan, offered a precious information. There is a children's song which extols Chao Yun; "Of the great generals
of the Three Kindoms, foremost is Zhao Tzu-Lung."
I don't think he was overestimated: He was so great. Really brave. And, moreover, he was intellectual and calm. His humane, rare in the turbulent age, allows very few people to speak ill of him, as you know from different articles on the Romance. Only after three monthes of ascending the throne, Liu Pei announced his wish to intrude Wu to avenge Kuan Yu. Chao Yun responded with a remonstrance that he should consider his people, putting away his private revenge. Chao Yun was with Kuan Yu for decades of years, and he should have keenly mourned over his death. He could have avenges him as Liu Pei desired. How he felt in the bottom of his mind when he advised Liu Pei not to intrude Wu is beyond description.
The Other Name of Chu-ko Liang
I mentioned a name received upon reaching adulthood in the section. Pan, a big Romance fan, offered a precious information of Chu-ko Liang's one. It is K'ung-ming, E in Chinese, as you may know, which means 'vast wisdom', Pan said, remarking that everybody found it suitable for him. And so do I. I live in Japan, whose culture doesn't have the customs of the other name, making the people call heroes in the story by their real names. But except Chu-ko Liang and Ssu-ma I. I don't know the reason, but they may offer homage to the two strategists greatly gifted with rare abilities.
To be continued...
