The famous sayings in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms include:

1. Without indifference, one cannot have a clear ambition, and without tranquility, one cannot reach far. ——Zhuge Liang

Translation: If you don’t take the fame and wealth in front of you lightly, you won’t have clear ambitions. If you can’t study calmly, you won’t be able to achieve lofty goals.

2. The ancients despised the ruler and jade but valued the inch of yin, fearing that time would pass. ——Cao Pi

Translation: The ancients despised a one-foot jade but cherished an inch of time, because they were afraid that time would pass by in vain without doing anything.

3. Zhou Lang’s ingenious plan to calm the world, he lost his wife and lost his troops! ——Zhuge Liang

Translation: It is a metaphor for failing to gain and suffering double losses instead.

4. I would rather teach me to betray the world than teach the world to betray me! ——Cao Cao

Translation: I would rather let others down than let others let me down.

5. Wolong and Fengxiao can settle down the world together. ——Mr. Shui Jing

Translation: Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong are two talented people. As long as any prince gets one of them, he can gain the world.