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Cao Cao at once sent people to fell the tree。 But after one whole day of labor they came back to say they could make no impression on it neither with saw nor ax。 Cao Cao； doubting their word； went to see。 When he had dismounted and stood by the tree； he could not but admire its size and proportions； as it rose above him tall； straight and branched till the wide…spreading and symmetrical top reached into the clouds。 But he bade the men attack it again。
Then a few aged people of the village came and said； 〃The tree has stood here some centuries and is the haunt of a spirit。 We think it should not be cut down。〃
Cao Cao grew annoyed； saying； 〃I have gone to and fro in the world now some thirty years； and there is no one； from the Emperor to the moner； who does not fear me。 What spirit is there who dares oppose my wish？〃
Drawing the sword he was wearing； Cao Cao went up to the tree and slashed at the trunk。 The tree groaned as he struck； and blood stains spattered his dress。 Terror…stricken； he threw down the sword； mounted his horse and galloped off。
But that evening when he retired to rest； he could not sleep。 He rose； went into the outer room； and sat there leaning on a low table。 Suddenly a man appeared with his hair unbound； dressed in black and carrying a naked sword。
The visitor came straight toward Cao Cao； stopped in front of him and； pointing； cried out； 〃Behold the Spirit of the Pear Tree！ You may desire to build your nine…hall pavilion； and you may contemplate rebellion。 But when you began to attack my sacred tree； the number of your days was acplished。 I am e now to slay you。〃
〃Where are the guards？〃 shouted Cao Cao in terror。
The figure struck at him with the sword。 Cao Cao cried out and then awoke。 His head was aching unbearably。
They sought the best physicians for him； but they failed to relieve the terrible pain。 Sympathy for their lord was universal among Cao Cao's subordinates。
Hua Xin one day said to his master； 〃My lord； have you heard of Hua Tuo？〃
〃Do you mean him of Qiao who cured Zhou Tai？〃
〃Yes； that is he；〃 replied Hua Xin。
〃I have heard something of his fame； but I know nothing of his capabilities in his art。〃
〃He is very clever； there are few so skillful。 If one is ill and calls him in； he knows immediately whether to use drugs； or the needle； or the cutlery； and the patient finds relief at once。 Let one suffer from an internal plaint and drugs are ineffectual； with a dose of hashish he throws the patient into a state of perfect insensibility and then opens the abdomen and washes the affected organs with a medicament。 The patient feels no pain。 When the cleansing is plete； he sews up the wound with thread； dresses it； and in a month or less the patient is well。 This shows you how skillful he is。
〃One day Hua Tuo was traveling； when he heard a man by the wayside groaning with pain。 'That is dyspepsia；' said Hua Tuo。 And further questions confirmed the diagnosis。 He prescribed long draughts of the juice of garlic as an emetic； and the man vomited a worm。 After this the man was quite well。
〃Chen Deng； the Governor of Guangling； suffered from a heavy feeling at the heart。 His face was red and congested； and he had no appetite。 Hua Tuo gave him a drug； and he threw up many internal wriggling parasites with red heads。 The Governor asked what had caused the trouble； and Hua Tuo told him that he ate too much strong smelling fish。 He could cure Chen Deng this once； but in three years the disease would recur； and then nothing could save him。 Three later Chen Deng died。
〃Another man had a tumor between the eyes； and it itched intolerably。 Hua Tuo examined it and said there was a bird in it。 The tumor was opened； and； surely enough； a canary flew out。 The patient was relieved。
＇e＇ Bian Que is the earliest of the legendary doctors of Chinese medicine after the time of the Yellow Emperor and his advisors。 Credited with incredible healing knowledge； stories of his life and treatments are used in teaching and known to all Chinese medicine practitioners today。 。。。。。
〃A dog bit a man's toe； and two tumorous growths ensued； one of which itched intolerably and the other pained severely。 Hua Tuo said the painful one contained ten needles； and the other a couple of chess pips； black and white。 He opened the two swellings； and the contents were as he had said。 Really he is of the same class of physician as masters Bian Que* and Zang Kong of old times。 He lives at Jincheng； not far away； and could be here very soon。〃
Cao Cao summoned him。 As soon as he arrived； Hua Tuo felt the pulse and made careful examination。
〃Prince； your headaches are due to a malignant humor within the brain case。 The humor is too thick to get out。 Swallowing drugs will do no good。 But I propose to administer a dose of hashish； then open the brain case and remove the thickened humor。 That will be a radical cure。〃
〃You mean you want to kill me？〃 cried Cao Cao angrily。
〃O Prince； you have heard how I cured Guan Yu of the poison that had got into his bones？ I scraped them； and he did not hesitate a moment。 Your malady is trifling； and why do you mistrust me？〃
〃A painful arm may be scraped； but how can you cut open a man's head？ The fact is you have conspired with some of Guan Yu's friends to take this opportunity to make away with me in revenge for his death。〃
Cao Cao told his lictors to hale Hua Tuo to gaol； and there he was tortured to try to find who were his acplices。
Jia Xu pleaded for him； saying； 〃The man possesses rare skills。 To kill him is to waste his talents。〃
But the intervention was of no avail。
〃The man wants to get a chance to kill me。 He is the same sort of scoundrel as Ji Ping。〃
The wretched physician was subjected to worse sufferings。
His gaoler was a certain Wu； nicknamed 〃The Gaoler〃 by nearly everybody。 He was kindly disposed to Hua Tuo and saw that Hua Tuo was well fed。
Hua Tuo conceived a liking for his gaoler and said to him one day； 〃I am doomed； I know。 The pity is that my Black Bag treatise on medicine may be lost。 You have been most kind to me； and as I have no other way of repensing you； I will give you a letter to my wife telling her to send the Black Bag； and I will give it to you that you may carry on my art。〃
Wu the Gaoler rejoiced greatly； saying； 〃If I have that book； I will throw away the menial position of gaoler； travel about the country healing sick folks； and spread your virtue。〃
The letter was written and given to Wu the Gaoler； who lost no time in traveling to Jincheng to meet with Hua Tuo's wife； and she gave him the Black Bag to bring back to Hua Tuo。 After Hua Tuo had read through the book carefully； he presented it to Wu the Gaoler； who took it home and hid it away。
Ten days after this； Hua Tuo died in prison。 Wu the Gaoler bought a coffin and had him buried。 This done； he quitted the prison and went home。 But when he asked for the book； he found that his wife had discovered it and was using it to light the fire。 He snatched away what was left of it； but a whole volume was missing； and what was left amounted only to several pages。 He vented his anger in cursing his wife。
But she retorted； saying； 〃If you bee such a learned person as Hua Tuo； you will only die in prison like him。 What good did it all do him？〃
It struck Wu the Gaoler that there was something in what she said； and he ceased grumbling at her。 But the upshot of all this was that the learning in the 〃Treatise of the Black Bag〃 was finally lost to the world； for what was left only contained the recipes relating to domestic animals。
Hua Tuo was the ablest of physician；
Seeing what diseases were lurking within beings。
Alas！ That he died； and his writings
Followed him to the Nine Golden Springs。
Meanwhile； Cao Cao became worse； the uncertainty of the intentions of his rivals aggravating his disease not a little。 Then they said an envoy had e with letter from Wu； and it ran like this：
〃Thy servant； Sun Quan； has long seen destiny indicates Your Highness as master of all； and looks forward with confidence to your early accession to the dignity of the Son of God。 If you will send your armies to destroy Liu Bei and sweep rebellion from the two River Lands； thy servant at the head of his armies will submit and accept his land as a fief。〃
Cao Cao laughed as he read this； and he said to his officers； 〃Is this youth trying to put me on a furnace？〃
But Minister Chen Qun and the attendants seriously replied； 〃O Prince； the Hans have been feeble too long； while your virtues and merits are like the mountains。 All the people look to you； and when Sun Quan acknowledged himself as your minister； he is but responsive to the will of God and the desire of humans。 It is wrong that you oppose when such contrary influences work to a mon end； and you must soon ascend to the high place。〃
＇e＇ King Wen； aka the Scholar King； founder of the Zhou Dynasty； father of King Wu。 King Wen did not actually founded the dynasty； but he laid the foundation for Zhou。 At the end of Shang Dynasty； the state Zhou of King Wen had already possessed two…thirds of the empire； but King Wen still faithfully served the last emperor of Shang。 The final conquest was pleted by King Wu and King Wu's brother； the Duke of Zhou。 。。。。。
Cao Cao smiled。 〃I have served th