It refers to sincerely inviting and visiting a sage with expertise.
三顾茅庐
sān gù máo lú
origin:
三国时期·诸葛亮《出师表》：“臣本布衣，躬耕于南阳，苟全性命于乱世，不求闻达于诸侯，先帝不以臣卑鄙，猥自枉屈，三顾臣于草庐之中。”
story:
At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Liu Bei failed to attack Cao Cao and defected to Liu Biao in Jingzhou. In order to have a great career in the future, he paid attention to seeking talents and asked Sima Hui, a famous scholar in Jingzhou, to recommend him. Sima Hui said, “There are ‘Fulong’ and ‘Fenghuai’ in this place, one of them can secure the world.” Liu Bei inquired and learned that “Fulong” was Zhuge Liang, who lived in a hut in Longzhong, 20 miles west of Xiangyang, cultivating himself and studying history books, and was an outstanding talent.
At this time, the strategist Xu Shu also recommended to Liu Bei, “Zhuge Liang is a wise man.” In order to ask Zhuge Liang to help him fight the world, Liu Bei, together with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, went to Wolonggang in Longzhong (west of Nanyang, Henan Province, or southwest of Xiangyang, Hubei Province) with gifts to ask Zhuge Liang to assist him. It happened that Zhuge Liang went out on that day, so Liu Bei had to leave his name and go back disappointed.
A few days later, Liu Bei heard that Zhuge Liang had returned and went there again with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, braving the snow and wind. But he found out that Zhuge Liang had gone out again, so Liu Bei and his team made another empty trip. Zhang Fei was reluctant to come back, but when he saw that Zhuge Liang was not at home, he urged to go back. Liu Bei had to leave a letter expressing his admiration for Zhuge Liang and asking him to come out to help him save the country from a dangerous situation.
After some time, Liu Bei was ready to ask Zhuge Liang again. Guan Yu said that Zhuge Liang might have a false name and might not have real talent, so there was no need to go. Zhang Fei, however, advocated that he should go alone to call, and if he did not come, he should be tied up with a rope. Liu Bei scolded Zhang Fei and went to visit Zhuge Liang in Longzhong for the third time with both of them. He was sleeping, so Liu Bei didn’t dare to disturb him, but stood until Zhuge Liang woke up, and then sat down to talk with each other.
In this hut, Zhuge Liang and Liu Bei discussed the current situation, analyzed the situation, and designed a strategy to seize power and unify the country. Liu Bei was so impressed that he was willing to take Zhuge Liang as his teacher and asked him to come out to help him revive the Han Dynasty. Zhuge Liang was deeply impressed by Liu Bei’s sincerity in “Three Gu Mao Lus” and agreed to Liu Bei’s request to leave Longzhong to show his political ambition. The idiom “San Gu Mao Lut” is derived from this idiom, which is a metaphor for visiting the virtuous and seeking talents, and sincerely inviting others.
After that, Zhuge Liang became Liu Bei’s main strategist, helping him to unite Sun Wu in the east and Cao Wei in the north, occupying Jing and Yi states and heading north to the Central Plains to establish the Shu Han regime, forming a triple triumvirate with East Wu and Cao Wei. After Liu Bei’s death, Zhuge Liang, following Liu Bei’s legacy, continued to send troops to invade Wei. He wrote in a Cheng table to the latter Liu Zen: “The former emperor did not take my humble, obscene since in vain, three times in the grass cottage……” reveals to Liu Bei to give the knowledge of the kindness of unforgettable.
