inquired　far　and　near　for　a　good　surgeon　to　attend　their　general。

One　day　a　person　arrived　in　a　small　ship　and；　having　landed　and　e　up　to　the　gate　of　the　camp；　was　led　in　to　see　Guan　Ping。　The　visitor　wore　a　square…cut　cap　and　a　loose　robe。　In　his　hand　he　carried　a　small　black　bag。

He　said；　〃My　name　is　Hua　Tuo；　and　I　belong　to　Qiao。　I　have　heard　of　the　wound　sustained　by　the　famous　general　and　have　e　to　heal　it。〃

〃Surely　you　must　be　the　physician　who　treated　Zhou　Tai　in　the　South　Land；〃　said　Guan　Ping。

〃I　am。〃

Taking　with　him　the　other　generals；　Guan　Ping　went　in　to　see　his　father。　Guan　Yu　was　engaging　in　a　game　of　chess　with　Ma　Liang；　although　his　arm　was　very　painful。　But　Guan　Yu　kept　up　appearances　so　as　not　to　discourage　the　troops。　When　they　told　him　that　a　physician　had　e；　he　consented　to　see　him。

Hua　Tuo　was　introduced；　asked　to　take　a　seat　and；　after　the　tea　of　ceremony；　was　shown　the　injured　arm。

〃This　was　caused　by　an　arrow；〃　said　the　doctor。　〃There　is　poison　in　the　wound；　and　it　has　penetrated　to　the　bone。　Unless　the　wound　is　soon　treated；　the　arm　will　bee　useless。〃

〃What　do　you　propose　to　do？〃　asked　Guan　Yu。

〃I　know　how　to　cure　the　wound；　but　I　think　you　will　be　afraid　of　the　remedy。〃

〃Am　I　likely　to　be　afraid　of　that　when　I　am　not　even　afraid　of　death？　Death　is　only　a　return　home　after　all。〃

Then　Hua　Tuo　said；　〃This　is　what　I　shall　do。　In　a　private　room　I　shall　erect　a　post　with　a　steel　ring　attached。　I　shall　ask　you；　Sir；　to　insert　your　arm　in　the　ring；　and　I　shall　bind　it　firmly　to　the　post。　Then　I　shall　cover　your　head　with　a　quilt　so　that　you　cannot　see；　and　with　a　scalpel　I　shall　open　up　the　flesh　right　down　to　the　bone。　Then　I　shall　scrape　away　the　poison。　This　done；　I　shall