"The merits of the three-pointed kingdom are called the Eight Formations" comes from Du Fu's "Eight Formations" in the Tang Dynasty.
Original text:
Eight Formation Diagram
The success covers three parts of the country, so it is called the Eight Formation Diagram.
The stone in the river will not turn, and the regret will be swallowed by Wu.
Translation
You have made unparalleled achievements in the Three Kingdoms, and you have achieved eternal fame by creating the Eight Formations.
The river flowing eastward cannot turn away the stones you laid out, and I will regret your failure to destroy Wu through the ages.
Notes
⑴Eight Formation Diagram: A figure composed of eight formations, used for military training or combat.
⑵ Cover: exceed. Three Kingdoms: refers to the three kingdoms of Wei, Shu and Wu during the Three Kingdoms period.
⑶ The stone does not turn: It means that when the water rises, the stones in the eight formations remain still.
⑷To swallow Wu by mistake means to swallow Wu by mistake.
Appreciation
"His achievements cover three parts of the country, and he is famous as the Eight Formations" are two sentences praising Zhuge Liang's great achievements. The first sentence is written from a general aspect, saying that Zhuge Liang made the most outstanding achievements in the process of establishing the situation where Wei, Shu, and Wu were divided into three parts of the world. There are certainly many factors that led to the coexistence of the Three Kingdoms, and Zhuge Liang's assistance in helping Liu Bei create the foundation of Shu from scratch should be said to be one of the important reasons. Du Fu's highly summarized praise objectively reflects the historical reality of the Three Kingdoms era. The second sentence is written from a specific aspect, saying that Zhuge Liang's creation of the Eight Formations made him more famous. The ancients have repeatedly praised this point. For example, the inscription in the Wuhou Temple in Chengdu reads: "The ambition to unify the economy has not yet been fulfilled, and the formations are laid out with sincere and clever plans." ." This poem by Du Fu praises Zhuge Liang's military achievements more concentratedly and concisely.