Reading tools
Text size
文化
CULTURE
CULTURE
What does the historical record actually say?
The Shiji explicitly says that Goujian kept gall near his seat, looked up at it when sitting or lying down, and tasted it before eating. Sleeping on brushwood is part of the later traditional retelling. The idiom now describes enduring hardship while working toward a difficult goal.
Key vocabulary10 words from this story
Open vocabulary →阅读理解 · COMPREHENSION
Check your understanding
Answer three questions without looking at the English translation.
阅读练习完成
You finished the story.
Keep reading at the same level to build speed and confidence.