The old metaphor is to express gratitude and repay kindness, and never forget it until death. In later generations, a knotted grass ring was used to represent repaying kindness.

Allusions to Jie Cao

The allusion to "Jie Cao" can be found in "Zuo Zhuan·Xuan Gong Fifteenth Year". In the autumn and seventh month of 594 BC, Duke Huan of Qin sent troops to attack Jin. The Jin army and the Qin army fought at Fushi in Jin (now Dali County, Shaanxi Province). Jin general Wei Ke met Qin general Du Hui, and they fought together. , when he was in a dilemma, Wei Ke suddenly saw an old man tying Du Hui with a rope made of straw.

This majestic strongman of the Qin state became unstable and fell to the ground. He was captured by Wei Ke on the spot, allowing Wei Ke to defeat the Qin army in this battle.

It turns out that Wei Wuzi, a senior official in the Jin Dynasty, had a beloved concubine, Zuji, who had no children. When Wei Wuzi was ill, he told his son Wei Ke: "If I die, you must choose a good match to marry her off." Later, Wei Wuzi became seriously ill, and said to Wei Ke: "After I die, you must make her a good wife." I was buried as a sacrifice, so that I would have a companion under Jiuquan." After Wei Wuzi died, Wei Ke did not kill Zuji and bury her with him, but married her to someone else.

His younger brother asked why he didn't respect his father's dying wish. Wei Ke said: "When a person is seriously ill, his mind is confused. I married this girl based on my father's instructions when he was sane." "

After the Jin army won and retreated, that night, Wei Ke saw in his dream the old man who tied a rope for him during the day and tripped Du Hui. The old man said, I am the wife you married. Father, you used the good order given to you by your ancestors and did not let my daughter be buried with you, so I made grass to resist Du and came back to repay you!

The Allusion of the Ring

Yang Zhen (AD 59-AD 124, early Eastern Han Dynasty) When his father Yang Bao was nine years old, he saw a yellow bird injured by an eagle in the north of Huayin Mountain, fell under a tree, and was trapped by ants. Yang Bao took pity on it and took it home and put it in the towel box. The oriole only eats yellow flowers. After a hundred days, its feathers become plump and it flutters its wings and flies away.

That night, a boy in yellow clothes thanked Yang Bao and said: "I am the envoy of the Queen Mother of the West. You are kind and save me, and I am really grateful." He gave Yang Bao four white rings and said: "It May your descendants be among the three nobles, be honest in government, and be as pure and flawless as this jade ring.”

As the boy in yellow said, Yang Bao’s son Yang Zhen, grandson Yang Bing, and great-grandson. The four generations of officials, Yang Ci and great-great-grandson Yang Biao, all had official positions ranging from Taiwei to Taiwei. They were all upright and honest in government. Their virtues were passed down to future generations.

Extended information:

Knotting grass and holding rings are both ancient legends of repaying kindness. The former tells the story of a scholar-bureaucrat who married his father's concubine to someone else so that she could not be buried. In order to repay the favor for his daughter, the dead father tangled the weeds on the ground into tangled knots, tripping up the benefactor's rivals and winning; the latter tells of a story about a man who had died. A child saved the life of a trapped oriole. The oriole brought four white rings in its mouth, claiming that the rings would ensure that the benefactor's offspring would be white and that he would be in a high position.

Later, the two allusions are combined into one sentence, which means that if you receive favor from others, you will definitely be rewarded generously, and you will never change it whether you live or die. It is also said that "the title ring knots the grass".

Reference: Baidu Encyclopedia-Knotted Grass Ring