Zhou Chu Eliminates the Three Troubles

Zhou Chu Eliminates the Three Troubles:

During the Jin Dynasty, there was a young man named Zhou Chu in Yixing. His parents had died when he was young, so he was left without discipline. Though he naturally had a heroic spirit, he often relied on his brute strength to fight and cause trouble in the village, committing all sorts of misdeeds. The villagers feared him as if he were a venomous snake or a fierce beast, always staying far away from him.

One day, while Zhou Chu was wandering through the streets, he saw a group of people discussing something. Curious, he hurried over, but the crowd fell silent and dispersed. Zhou Chu found it strange and grabbed an old man to ask, “What were you all talking about?” The old man, frightened, replied truthfully: “We have three scourges here. One is a man-eating tiger in the mountains of the south. The second is a water dragon under the Long Bridge that has killed many people…” Before the old man could finish, Zhou Chu exclaimed loudly, “What’s so scary about a tiger or a dragon? Let me get rid of them!” Then he ran off.

Zhou Chu first went to the southern mountains to hunt the tiger. One day, he finally found it. When the tiger pounced at him, he swiftly dodged, jumped onto its back, and punched its head repeatedly until it was dead. Then, he ran to the Long Bridge, dove into the river, and fought the water dragon. Zhou Chu battled the creature in the water for three days and nights before finally killing it.

Back in the village, the people thought he had been beaten by the tiger or the dragon. They were so relieved that they celebrated his “disappearance.” Unexpectedly, Zhou Chu has returned. When he heard the villagers say that the “three Troubles” were gone and saw them celebrating, he came to realization that he was considered the third Trouble.

Zhou Chu was shocked. Ashamed and remorseful, he reflected on how his reckless behavior had caused people to view him as a threat. Determined to change, he resolved to become a better man. He later became a student of master Lu Yun, studied hard, and eventually became a high-ranking official who did many good deeds for the people.

Zhou Chu became a troublemaker because he lost his parents when he was young and no one taught him what was right.
But later, he understood his mistakes and decided to change.
He worked hard to become a better person and help others.

The story reminds us that it is important to teach children to do good from an early age. Parents, please pay attention! Forming a strong moral foundation in children during their formative years is crucial, as this is the time when values, habits, and character begin to take shape.