I shall dedicate myself utterly, giving everything until death claims me.

I was originally a commoner, tilling the fields at Nanyang.

親賢臣、遠小人、此先漢所以興隆也。親小人、遠賢臣、此後漢所以傾頽也。

Life is like a long journey carrying a heavy burden. Never hurry.

-- The founder of Japan's Tokugawa shogunate

If the cuckoo will not sing, wait until it does.

-- The founder of Japan's Tokugawa shogunate

After victory, tighten the cords of your helmet.

-- Toyotomi Hideyoshi's chief strategist and the architect of his greatest victories

Writing is only good for recording names. Swordsmanship defeats one man — that's not worth learning. I want to learn what defeats ten thousand.

-- The 'Hegemon-King of Western Chu' whose raw military genius made him the most feared commander of ancient China's civil wars

書足以記名姓而已。剣一人敵、不足学。学万人敵。

-- The 'Hegemon-King of Western Chu' whose raw military genius made him the most feared commander of ancient China's civil wars

Before wine, one should sing — for how long is life? Like morning dew, so many days have passed.

-- The dominant warlord of China's Three Kingdoms era