Stories of Tolerance and Forgiveness in Ancient Times (Part 2)

(Minghui.org)

(Continued from Part 1)

Suppose someone is verbally abused or insulted. As long as it is not a fundamental issue of right and wrong, tolerating it without losing one’s temper is the wise thing to do. If one can endure embarrassment and deal with conflicts calmly, he can solve the problem well. People usually find a better solution if they can take a step back when facing conflicts.

General Zhou Yu Turned Those Who Disliked Him into Friends

Zhou Yu (175–210) was a Chinese military general and strategist in China’s late Eastern Han dynasty.

According to Sanguo Zhi (Records of the Three Kingdoms), Zhou Yu was described as a talented and handsome man. He was open-minded and treated others fairly. Zhou Yu was also easygoing, which led to people in the region having deep respect for him.

The emperor Sun Quan's wife and Zhou's wife were sisters. The emperor was very fond of Zhou and treated him as a brother. However, Zhou was always humble and courteous despite his accomplishments. That is, he treated the emperor with respect and dignity.

At that time, Zhou was good friends with all the generals—except for one named Cheng Pu. Cheng was older and more experienced than Zhou, but his rank was lower and he resented that. In fact, he insulted Zhou many times in public. But in spite of such humiliation, Zhou looked at the big picture and did not let it bother him.

Gradually, Cheng changed his attitude toward Zhou, saying that his association with Zhou was pleasant, like drinking fine wine, and that he had grown to like him without realizing it. In the subsequent Battle of Red Cliff, Cheng and Zhou fought well together. Along with the other generals, their outnumbered forces defeated the soldiers of the northern warlord Cao Cao and won the battle.

From this story, we can see that forbearance can turn enemies into friends. In the face of conflicts, people should be tolerant of others and handle things with an open mind.

Confucius once said, “The essence of a man’s integrity is mainly loyalty and forgiveness.” That is, it is very important to be tolerant and forgiving when people interact with one another.

(To be continued)