ExclusiveTraditional Chinese Tales: Lu Ji Hid Oranges in Sleeve for His Mother

Lu Qi hid oranges in sleeve for his mother. Lu Qi was a native of Hua Ting, now part of Shanghai, during the Three Kingdoms period. He was well educated and knowledgeable, having diligently studied poetry and literature from a young age. As he grew older, he also learned about rituals and the Book of Changes, becoming proficient in astronomy and calendar calculations at a young age. Lu Qi was renowned for his scholarship and character during the Three Kingdoms era, and his biography can be found in the Records of the Three Kingdoms. Lu's father was a governor during the late Hang Dynasty and was a friend of Yuan Shi. When Lu was six years old, his father took him to visit Huan Si. Yuan had oranges brought out to entertain the father and son. While eating an orange, Lu thought, my mother would be very happy to have one of these. So he took two oranges and tucked them into his clothing. However, as they were about to take their leave, the oranges slipped out and fell to the ground. Yuan jokingly remarked, little Lu comes to my house as a guest and leaves with my oranges strictly tucked in your sleeve. Lu knelt down and truthfully replied, I wanted to take these oranges home to let my mother taste them. Yuan was amazed by the filial piety of a six-year-old child. Later generations praise Lu, saying filial piety is innate even in a six-year-old. Lu hid oranges in his sleeve for his mother. Such affection is truly remarkable. Lu's extraordinary behavior as a child did not end there. During his youth, when the late Hang Dynasty was in turmoil and various warlords were vying for power, there was an occasion when Xuan Si, the king, hosted a banquet for many officials to discuss state affairs. Everyone was debating how to use military force to seize control. However, Lu, sitting at the lowest position, disagreed and couldn't help but raise his voice, saying, In the past, Guang Zhong assisted Duke Huan of Qi, uniting China without the use of war chariots. Confucius said, If distant people do not submit, then cultivate culture and virtue to attract them. Now everyone discusses governance but neglects morality, focusing solely on military force. Although I am young and inexperienced, I feel deeply uneasy. His words astonished everyone. Lu later served as an official in the south for several years, where he contracted some illnesses. After returning to Wu, he became absorbed in his studies and worked too hard, leading to his early death at the age of 32. Before his death, Lu left a farewell message, which can also be seen as a prophecy. From now on, in sixty years, vehicles will run on the same tracks and writing will be in the same script. I regret not being able to witness it. Sixty years later, the tripartite division of the three kingdoms ended and China was reunited, making Lu's prophecy of vehicles on the same tracks and writing in the same script a reality. Wu Qi, who excelled in the book of changes and astronomy, left future generations in awe of his prophecy.