Cooking Wine and Discussing Heroes, the story is a classic episode in the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, one of the Four Great Masterpieces. It refers to the story of Cao Cao, who was in control of the dynasty, testing Liu Bei's ambition to dominate the world with a wine banquet before the Battle of Guandu between Yuan and Cao in the fourth year of Jian'an, which was eventually concealed by Liu Bei's clever words.

In everyday life, the phrase "discussing heroes over boiled wine" is generally used to simply talk about the world, or to comment on certain kinds of things or people. It is also called "青梅煮酒" or "青梅煮酒论英雄".

The origin of this phrase is

A classic episode in the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms

The original text is available for your reference

When I arrived at the pavilion, there were already bottles set up for the table: a tray of plums and a bottle of boiled wine. The two of them were sitting opposite each other, drinking freely. The two of them sat down and drank wine. When the wine was half full, suddenly the clouds were overcast and a sudden rain was coming. The man pointed to the dragon hanging in the sky, and the two of them watched it from the fence.

Fucking said: "so that you know the dragon's change or not?" Xuan De said: "unknown details." Fuck said: "The dragon can be big and small, can rise and hidden; big is Xingyun spit fog, small is hidden intermediary hidden shape; rise is soaring in the universe between, hidden is lurking within the waves. Fangjin spring deep, the dragon by the time of change, as if people have the will to cross the four seas. Dragon is a thing, comparable to the world of heroes. Xuan De has been in the four directions for a long time, he must know the heroes of the world. Please try to point out." Xuan De said: "Preparation of naked eyes and recognize the hero?" Cao said: "Do not be too modest." Xuan De said: "I have been harboring the favor, got to serve in the dynasty. The world's heroes, really have no idea." Cao said: "Neither recognize its face, but also heard its name."

Xuan De said: "Huainan Yuan Shu, soldiers and food enough to prepare, can be a hero?" Fuck laughed and said: "the dry bones in the mound, I will capture it sooner or later!"

Xuan De said: "Hebei Yuan Shao, four generations of three, the door more than the old officials; now the tiger is located in the land of Jizhou, the Department of the able to do a lot of things, can be a hero?" Fuck laughed and said: "Yuan Shao color Li gall thin, good plan no decision; do great things and cherish the body, hot follow the whole see small benefits and forget life: not heroes."

Xuan De said: "There is a person's name eight Jun, the town of nine states: Liu Jing Sheng can be a hero?" Cao said: "Liu table false name without reality, not a hero."

Xuan De said: "There is a person's blood and vigor, the leader of Jiangdong - Sun Bo Fu is a hero?" Cao said: "Sun Ce through the name of his father, not a hero."

Xuan De said: "Yizhou Liu Jiyu, can be a hero?" Cao said: "Although Liu Zhang lineage clan, is the guardian of the dog ear, why enough for the hero!"

Xuan De said: "such as Zhang Xiu, Zhang Lu, Han Sui and other generations are how?" Fuck applauded and laughed and said: "This kind of bumbling villain, what is enough to worry about!"

XuanDe said: "outside of this, I really do not know." Fuck said: "The hero, the chest of great ambition, the belly has a good plan, there is a hidden universe of opportunity, through the world of the will of the person." Xuan De said: "Who can be it?" Fuck to finger Xuan De, after pointing to himself, said: "today under the hero, but only make the king and fuck ear!" Xuan De heard the words, ate a shock, the hand held by the spoons and chopsticks, do not realize that fell to the ground. At that time, when the sky is about to rain, the thunder is loud. Xuan De was calmly bent his head to pick up the chopsticks and said: "The power of a shock, and even this." Cao laughed and said: "Husband also afraid of thunder?" Xuan De said: "the saints swift thunder and wind will change, and can not fear?" Will hear the reason for the loss of art, gently cover up. I'm not sure if I'll be able to do it, but I'm sure I'll be able to do it.

The translation has been released for you to understand

The wine was half-full, but suddenly the clouds rolled in, and a sudden rain was coming. The attendant pointed to the dragon hanging in the sky, and Cao Cao and Xuan De watched from the fence. Cao Cao said, "Do you know how the dragon changes?" Xuan De said, "I would like to hear about it." Cao Cao said, "Dragons can be big or small, rising or hidden; big in the clouds and fog, small in the hidden; rising in the universe, hidden in the waves. Fangjin spring deep, the dragon by the time of change, as if people have the will to cross the four seas. The dragon is a thing, comparable to the hero of the world. Xuan De has traveled a lot, so he must know the heroes of the world. Please tell me." Xuan De said, "How can I recognize who the heroes are when I am so poorly informed?" Cao Cao said, "Don't be too modest." Xuan De said, "I have been favored and sheltered by His Majesty and have been able to serve as an official in the imperial court. I've never seen any heroes in the world." Cao Cao said, "Since you haven't met him, you must have heard of his reputation." Xuan De said, "How can Yuan Shu of Huainan be called a hero when he has enough troops and food?" Cao Cao laughed and said, "Yuan Shu is nothing more than a withered bone in the grave, I will catch him sooner or later!" Xuan De said: "Hebei's Yuan Shao, four consecutive generations to achieve the position of the three princes, the family has a lot of former officials; now the tiger in the land of Jizhou, the ministries of the able to do a lot of work, can be called a hero?" Cao Cao laughed and said: "Yuan Shao is a man of color and courage, good plans but no decision; do great things but love life, see small gains but forget about life: not a hero. Xuan De said: "There is a man who is known as the Eight Junes, the might of the nine states: Liu Jing Sheng can be called a hero?" Cao Cao said, "Liu Biao is not a hero." Xuan De said, "Can Sun Bo Fu, the bloodthirsty leader of Jiangdong, be called a hero?" Cao Cao said, "Sun Ce is not a hero because he borrows his father's fame." Xuan De says: "Can Liu Jiyu of Yizhou be called a hero?" Cao Cao said, "Although Liu Zhang is a member of the clan (that is, a royal relative), he is nothing more than a dog that guards his family's property, so how can he be called a hero!" Xuan De said: "What about Zhang Xiu, Zhang Lu, Han Sui and the others?" Cao Cao applauded and laughed, saying, "These people are nothing, nothing to worry about!" Xuan De said, "Other than that, I really don't know." Cao Cao said, "A person who can be called a hero should be a person with a big heart and a good plan, a person who has the will to harbor the opportunities of the universe and to swallow heaven and earth." Xuan De asked, "Then who can be called a hero?" Cao Cao pointed his finger at Xuan De, then pointed to himself and said, "The only heroes in the world today are Your Excellency and I (Cao Cao)!" Xuan De was so taken aback by these words that the chopsticks and spoon he was holding could not help but fall to the ground.

This coincided with a heavy downpour of rain and thunder. It was only then that Xuan De calmly lowered his head to pick up the chopsticks and spoon and said, "I was startled because of the thunder, that's why (referring to the chopsticks and spoon falling to the ground)." Cao Cao laughed and said, "Is a great man also afraid of thunder?" Xuan De said, "Even a sage would change his face when he hears wind and thunder, let alone how can I not be afraid?" He gently covered up the fact that he had dropped his chopsticks and spoon because of what he had just said. Cao Cao didn't suspect Xuan De.

A later poem praised Liu Bei, saying, "He barely escaped from the tiger's lair, but the hero was shocked and killed. The cleverly borrowed smell of thunder to cover up, randomly adapt to the letter as God."

Author's Works

Author

Luo Guanzhong (about 1330-1400), name Ben, Guanzhong for his word, the number of the Lake Sea dispersed; the late Yuan and early Ming novelist, rumored to be Shi Nai'an's students. He wrote many novels, and it is rumored that there are seventeen popular novels, among which the Romance of the Three Kingdoms is the most famous.

Works

Luo Guanzhong (c. 1330 - c. 1400) Romance of the Three Kingdoms, also known as Romance of the Three Kingdoms in Popular Performances, is China's first chapter-length historical novel. It is based on Chen Shou's Three Kingdoms Zhi and Pei Songzhi's notes, as well as Yuan Dynasty commentaries, miscellaneous dramas, legends and other sources. The novel depicts the complex military and political struggles in the late Han and Three Kingdoms periods, and the sufferings brought to the people; it successfully portrays the typical images of Cao Cao, Zhu Geliang, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, etc., and gives an excellent portrayal of the spirit of wisdom and bravery, accumulates the knowledge and experience of the political and military struggles in ancient times, and shows a magnificent picture of social life. It is called "the first book of talent" by the world.