When did the story of looking at plums to quench thirst take place?

First, looking at plum to quench thirst occurred in the Three Kingdoms period at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty.

Second, during the Three Kingdoms period, when Cao Cao led troops to attack Zhang Xiu in Wancheng (now Nanyang, Henan), he passed a place called Meilinpu in Fangcheng County. It was noon, sunny and hot. Cao Cao sent people to look for water everywhere and ordered soldiers to dig wells on the spot, but there was never a drop of water. The soldiers and the whole army are thirsty. In order not to delay the March, Cao Cao had a brainwave, stood on a high place, pointed to a hill in front and said, "There is a large piece of Meilin in front, bearing many plums, which are sweet and sour, and can quench your thirst." Hearing this, the soldiers drooled for a while and stopped thirsty. They all recovered their spirits, accelerated their March, and finally reached the place where there was water in front.

3. In the Southern Dynasties and the Song Dynasty, Liu Yiqing wrote "Hypothesis of the World": "Wei Wu lost his way in the battle, and all the three armies were thirsty, so he said,' The day before yesterday, there was a great Meilin, who pardoned his son, and he was sweet and sour to quench his thirst. "Foot soldiers smell it, with a mouthful of water, can get the former source. Shen Songkuo's Strange Talk about Meng Qian Bitan: "Wu people often call plums' Cao Gong', so they can taste plums to quench their thirst. "

Fourth, the original meaning of this word is sour plums. People who want to eat plums will drool and quench their thirst. Metaphorically, after the wish can't be realized, comfort yourself with fantasy.