Liu Pei looked at this man, nine feet in height, with a beard two feet
long. His face was the colour of the fruit of the jujube-tree, and
his lips carmine. Eyebrows like sleeping silkworms shaded his phoenix
eyes, which were a scarlet red. Terrible indeed was his bearing.

"What is your name?" asked Liu Pei. "My family name is Kuan, my own
name is Yü, my surname Yün Chang," he replied. "I am from the Ho Tung
country. For the last five or six years I have been wandering about
the world as a fugitive, to escape from my pursuers, because I killed
a powerful man of my country who was oppressing the poor people. I
hear that they are collecting a body of troops to crush the brigands,
and I should like to join the expedition."

Chang Fêi, also named Chang I Tê, is described as eight feet in
height, with round shining eyes in a panther's head, and a pointed
chin bristling with a tiger's beard. His voice resembled the rumbling
of thunder. His ardour was like that of a fiery steed. He was a native
of Cho Chün, where he possessed some fertile farms, and was a butcher
and wine-merchant.

Liu Pei, surnamed Hsüan Tê, otherwise Hsien Chu, was the third member
of the group.

The three men went to Chang Fei's farm, and on the morrow met together
in his peach-orchard, and sealed their friendship with an oath. Having
procured a black ox and a white horse, with the various accessories
to a sacrifice, they immolated the victims, burnt the incense of
friendship, and after twice prostrating themselves took this oath:

"We three, Liu Pei, Kuan Yû, and Chang Fei, already united by mutual