Lu Yun (AD 262~303) was gentle, quiet, intelligent and fond of learning. He could read the Analects of Confucius and the Book of Songs at five years old and could write compositions at six years old.
When Min Hong, a minister of the Kingdom of Wu and a native of Guangling called on Lu's family in Small Kunshan Mountain, he was surprised by Lu Yun's talent. In the tenth year of Emperor Taikang's reign in the Western Jin Dynasty (AD 289), Lu Yun went to Luoyang with his elder brother.
They met famous scholar Xun Yin (styled Minghe) in Zhang Hua's home. Zhang Hua liked these two talented young men very much. He asked them to make a self-introduction "not in an ordinary way" and so their introduction became a wonderful couplet. It is said that it was the first couplet in China.
Zhou Chu was a native of Yixing. His father died when he was a child. Due to the absence of family education and extraordinary strength, he often caused disturbances and fought against others.
The local people called a tiger in the mountains, a serpent in the river and him "Three Monsters". When Zhou Chu heard the first two monsters, he went to the mountain to kill the tiger and entered the river to slay the serpent.
He did not come back after some time. People thought Zhou Chu was dead and celebrated his death. By then, Zhou Chu knew he was the third monster and was quickly repent. He was determined to turn over a new leaf.
Advised by others, he came to Small Kunshan Mountain and looked for Lu Ji who lived in seclusion in Small Kunshan Mountain in order to learn how to behave himself. Coincidently, Lu Ji was out. Lu Yun warmly received Zhou Chu. They talked frankly. Zhou Chu worried he was old and even if he changed, he would not attain any achievements. Lu Yun enlightened him:
"You are still young and there will be ample time. Moreover, people should worry whether they can make the determination rather than the spread of a good name". Under the help and encouragement of Lu Yun, Zhou Chu amended himself and studied hard. In Nanjing, there is a "reading platform" where Zhou Chu read books. Later, he became a backbone of the country. His name and deeds were recorded in history.
