《古谣谚》 卷七

    作者:杜文澜
    曹操引谚
    三国志魏书崔琰传
    生女耳。

    Having women’s ears for listening to flatterers, referring to how unpredictable one’s superior’s reaction is to flatterers.

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    冀州人称邢顒语
    三国志魏书邢顒传
    德行堂堂﹑邢子昂。

    Xing Zi Ang is very righteous



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    军中为典韦语
    三国志魏书典韦传
    帐下壮士有典君。提一双戟八十斤。

    There is such a soldier named Dian Wei who carries an unusually heavy weapon.

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    陈思王植引谚
    三国志魏书陈思王植传
    相门有相。將门有將。

    Ministers come from a household of ministers, and generals come from a household of generals.

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    王昶引谚
    三国志魏书王昶传
    救寒莫如重裘。止谤莫如自修。

    Heavy coats save people from chills, and self-cultivation saves one from the slander of others.

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    襄阳乡里为马良谚
    三国志蜀书马良传
    马氏五常。白眉最良。

    Of the five Ma brothers, the one with the white eyebrow is the most outstanding.



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    譙周引谚
    三国志蜀书譙周传
    射幸数跌。不如审发。

    To prevent arrows from missing the targets, one should caution to aim well when shooting the arrow. The key to winning a battle is to not burden the general population with military expenses.



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    吴中童谣
    三国志吴书吴主权传
    三国志吴书吴主权传

    黄金车。班兰耳。闓昌门。出天子。

    A children’s song referring to the enthronement of the Wu emperor.

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    时人为周瑜谣
    三国志吴书周瑜传
    曲有误。周郎顾。

    When the musical tune is going wrong, Zhou Yu will notice right away.



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    诸葛恪引里语
    三国志吴书孙权传
    明镜所以照形。古事所以知今。

    Just as mirrors reflect the shapes of things, ancient histories provide windows to knowing current affairs.

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    陆凯引童谣
    三国志吴书陆凯传
    寧饮建业水。不食武昌鱼。寧还建业死。不止武昌居。

    A children’s song explaining that choosing Wu Chang as the capital will be a bad choice, while choosing Jian Ye will be a good choice.

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    吴人为诸葛恪谣
    三国志吴书诸葛恪传
    诸葛恪。何若若。芦苇单衣篾鉤落。於何相求成子阁。

    A folk song referring to the way Zhu Ge Ke was buried. He was thrown off a cliff.



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    优人青头鸡唱
    三国志魏书齐王芳纪
    青头鸡。青头鸡。

    "Green-headed chicken" refers to ducks. This was the verse of a song sung by one emperor’s entertainer. The emperor was on the verge of losing his throne.



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    京师为邓颺语
    三国志魏书曹爽传注云
    以官易富﹑邓元茂。

    Eng Yang sells government posts for money and gets rich.



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    魏时为蒋济谣言
    三国志魏书夏侯玄传注云
    欲求牙门﹑当得千匹。百人督﹑五百匹。

    A rumor referring to the material costs of obtaining certain positions.



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    焦先羖【歷】歌
    三国志魏书管宁传注云
    祝衄祝衄。非鱼非肉。更相追逐。本心为当杀牂羊。

    更杀其羖【歷】邪。

    A hermit’s opaque string of words which were interpreted as the mistakes made by the Wei kingdom’s military strategy.

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    时人为杨阿若号
    三国志魏书阎温传注云
    东市相斫﹑杨阿若。西市相斫﹑杨阿若。

    Yang A Ruo goes around fighting with people as a means of revenge and mediation.



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    鱼豢引谚
    三国志魏书任城陈萧王传评注云
    贫不学俭。卑不学恭。

    One is poor because of not knowing to be frugal, and one is in the lower class of society because of not learning to be humble.

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    鸿臚中为韩暨韩宣语
    三国志魏书裴潜传注云
    大鸿臚。小鸿臚。前后治行曷相如。

    Words praising two good consecutive ministers.

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    博昌乡人为蒋任二姓语
    三国志魏书王昶传
    蒋氏翁。任氏童。The people in the Jiang household became learned only when they reached old age, and the people in the Ren household were child prodigies.



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    东郡谣谚
    三国志魏书王凌传
    马素羈。西南驰。其谁乘者朱虎骑。

    A rumor referring to how Wang Ling and his nephew Ling Hu Yu wanted to support the enthronement of Prince Chu.



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    渭滨民谚
    三国志蜀书诸葛亮传
    死诸葛走生仲达。

    Words referring to how the supreme military strategist Zhu Ge Liang might have died, not knowing that, the enemy camp was still retreating to avoid his army.



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    襄阳择妇谚
    三国志蜀书诸葛亮传注云
    莫作孔明择妇。止得阿承丑女。

    Referring to how Zhu Ge Liang did not assume beauty to be a priority in a spouse.

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    寿春童谣
    三国志吴书孙皓传
    吴天子当上。

    A children’s song referring to a rumor which says a certain warlord should become the emperor. The warlord believed that.



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    公安童谣
    三国志吴书诸葛瑾传
    白鼉鸣。龟背平。南郡城中可长生。守死不去义无成。

    A children’s song referring to the wars between warlords.