Quotation:

With sincerity, you will have an open mind. With an open mind, you will be willing to put aside yourself to understand others, and you will also be able to put aside your false self-esteem to understand yourself. Love that is based on understanding yourself and others is not blind love. --Fu Lei

Sincerity is the road to honor. --(Dharma) Zola

With sincerity, gold and stone will be opened. --"Miscellaneous Notes of Xijing"

Example:

At the end of the Han Dynasty, the Yellow Turban incident broke out and the world was in chaos. Cao Cao took control of the court, Sun Quan supported Soochow, and the Han clan's Yuzhou pastor Liu Bei listened to Xu Shu (A native of Changshe, Yuzhou during the Three Kingdoms period, and a famous counselor) and Sima Hui (a native of Yangzhai, Yuzhou during the Three Kingdoms period, and a famous counselor) said that Zhuge Liang was very knowledgeable and talented, so they went to Longzhou with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei with gifts. In Wollongong (now Xiangyang County, Hubei Province), he went to ask Zhuge Liang to come out and help him work for the country. It happened that Zhuge Liang went out that day, and Liu Bei had to turn back disappointed.

Soon, Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei braved the heavy snowstorm to invite him for the second time. Unexpectedly, Zhuge Liang went out for a leisurely trip again. Zhang Fei was unwilling to come back, but when he saw that Zhuge Liang was not at home, he urged him to go back. Liu Bei had no choice but to leave a letter expressing his admiration for Zhuge Liang and asking him to come out to help him save the country's dangerous situation.

After some time, Liu Bei went on a vegetarian diet for three days and prepared to invite Zhuge Liang again. Guan Yu said that Zhuge Liang may have a false name but may not have real talent and learning, so there is no need to go. Zhang Fei, on the other hand, insisted that he call him alone. If he didn't come, he would be tied up with a rope. Liu Bei scolded Zhang Fei and visited Zhuge Liang for the third time. By then, Zhuge Liang was sleeping. Liu Bei did not dare to disturb him. He stood there until Zhuge Liang woke up and then sat down to talk to each other.

When Zhuge Liang saw that Liu Bei was determined to do things for the country and sincerely asked for his help, he came out to help Liu Bei establish the Shuhan Dynasty.

"The Romance of the Three Kingdoms" refers to Liu Bei's three personal invitations to Zhuge Liang as "Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage".

The idiom "visiting the thatched cottage three times" comes from this, which is a metaphor for visiting talents and inviting others sincerely.