Quotes / Three Kingdoms – Shu, Wei, Wu

• Cao Cao on morality: “In peaceful times we may esteem moral conduct, but when there is trouble it is achievement and ability that is rewarded.” (「 治平尚德行，有事賞功能。 」)

• Sun Quan on his rivals Cao Pi and Cao Rui, successors to his Worthy Opponent Cao Cao: “Cáo Pī falls innumerably short of Cáo Cāo. Now Cáo Ruì cannot compare to Cáo Pī just as much as Cáo Pī cannot compare to Cáo Cāo.” (「丕之於操，萬不及也。今叡之不如丕，猶丕不如操也。 」) ^note In terms of age, Cao Cao was Sun Quan's father (Cao being born in the same year as Sun's father Jian), Cao Pi was a younger brother (Quan was about five years older), while Cao Rui was a son.