解读“桃园三结义”Decipher the "Oath of Peach Garden"

Sanyi Temple ( 三sān义yì宫gōng) is the birthplace of the well known Chinese story "Taking Oath in the Peach Garden"(桃táo园yuán结jié义yì) , which took place during the Three Kingdoms period (220-280A.D.)(三sān国guó时shí期qī).

The story is often alluded to as a symbol of fraternal loyalty. It centers on three well-known figures: Liu Bei (liú bèi 刘备), Guan Yu (guān yǔ 关羽) and Zhang Fei (zhāng fēi 张飞), who together took an oath of brotherhood amid peach blossom trees. Liu Bei was the eldest, and Zhang Fei the youngest. At that time Chinese society was undergoing great change. The oath bound the three men to be of one mind and devote themselves to their country. The event was a turning point in their lives. Liu Bei later became the emperor that established the Shu Han regime during the Three Kingdoms period. The other two played imp0rtant roles in establishing the state. The three men's solidarity, loyalty and righteousness have inspired Chinese people for generations.

To commemorate this particular event, a temple was built on the very spot where the three took their oath during the Sui dynasty some 1400 years ago. The name of the temple is Sanyi, which literally translates as 'three righteousness'. The building saw the rise and fall of many dynasties. Zhuozhou city, where Sanyi temple is located, is said to be the hometown of Liu Bei. March 23th in the Chinese calendar is said to be when Liu Bei was born. So every year on this date, people from around China gather at Sanyi temple to pay homage to the three heroes.

How to get there: Sanyi Temple is located in Lousangmiao village (lóu sāng miào cūn 楼桑庙村) in Zhuozhou (涿zhuō州zhōu)  city, 62 km south of Beijing. Visitors can take a train to Zhuozhou railway station, then bus No.7 or No.13 to Huafengjixianchang (Huafeng Mechanical Factory 华huá丰fēng机jī械xiè厂chǎng). Walk south 10 to 15 minutes to get to Sanyi Temple.