Three visits to the cottage

   During the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Liu Bei tried hard to recruit¹ talents. He heard of a very wise man called Zhuge Liang who lived in a cottage in Longzhong.

　One day, Liu Bei, together with his sworn brothers Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, decided to visit Zhuge Liang. Unluckily, Zhuge Liang’s servant said that he was not at home. A few days later, they paid a visit again, but the servant told them Zhuge Liang was still not at home. Later, they went to Longzhong for the third time. When they arrived, Zhuge Liang was taking a nap. Liu Bei didn’t want to disturb² him, so they waited at the door quietly. When Zhuge Liang woke up, he was moved by Liu Bei’s sincerity.

　They talked about the situation of the country. And Liu Bei invited Zhuge Liang to be his army advisor. With the help of Zhuge Liang, Liu Bei enlarged his territory³, and his kingdom became much stronger.

　The story shows someone’s sincerity in asking others for advice. It’s also used to describe someone who invites someone else with complete sincerity.

Notes:

1. recruit v. 招募 2. disturb v. 打扰